Houston News

Proposed Mexican American Studies Cost Causes Controversy

The Texas Board of Education is considering a proposal that would add a Mexican American studies course as a statewide high school elective. But not everyone is on board with the idea.

David Bradley, a Republican board member from Beaumont, boycotted a public hearing yesterday, and says he doesn't like the idea at all.

“Whether you’re Irish, Italian, French or Hispanic; we’re all Americans. I see this an effort to divide and separate our culture, which is American,” Bradley told KTRH. “I think it’s being driven by personal and political agendas.”

Debbie Ratcliffe at the Texas Education Agency told KTRH there is a misconception about what your kids are already being taught.

“Some have implied we’re not teaching about the important contribution of Mexican Americans and Spaniards, but that’s not true. That’s already integrated into our history classes,” Ratcliffe said.

Ratcliffe says that even if the board approves the course, it won't come to your kid's school right away.

“The state board will meet to take the initial vote on Wednesday. On Friday, they’ll make a final decision. But it will take several years to get to the classroom. They’ll have to appoint committees to come up with these courses. Those committees will meet several times to come up with the curriculum,” Ratcliffe explained.

It could be a two to three year process of actually writing the course. At the end of the day, though, Bradley doesn't think this will be approved.

“Hopefully it will just quietly go away. I don’t think there is support for it on the board,” Bradley said.

Even so, some school boards around the state, including the one in Houston, passed a resolution supporting the idea.